THE Indiana Pacers roared into Madison Square Garden last night against the new-look Knicks, falling, 97-90, in a game whose story line was the grudge match between the teams' executives: the Pacers' Larry Bird and the Knicks' Isiah Thomas. But...

February 4, 2004, Wednesday

AND the beat goes on. Emboldened by perceived success, the hockey crowd at Madison Square Garden has been yowling for the head of Glen Sather. After all, yowling seemed to pay off recently for the head of Scott Layden and the head of Don Chaney,...

January 27, 2004, Tuesday

Isiah Thomas continued his dramatic reconstruction of the Knicks yesterday by dismissing Coach Don Chaney, who had failed to come anywhere near a winning record in two-plus seasons with the team. Seeing the bottom line that was dropping lower every...

January 15, 2004, Thursday

Herb Williams was a statuesque figure on the Knicks' sideline last night, pacing beside the court, making faces, hollering instructions. Mike Malone sat near him on a bench that looked oddly unfilled, the only assistant coach besides Williams...

January 15, 2004, Thursday

When a shout came from the sparse Knicks coaching staff last night to argue a call, Referee Jack Nies angrily moved toward the bench and confronted the assistant coach Mike Malone. ''Who are you?'' Nies shouted.

January 15, 2004, Thursday

Don Chaney sounded as if he were a man backed against a wall Tuesday. He is trying not to see the handwriting behind him, but is dismayed by what lies ahead. Chaney, the Knicks' coach, admitted to feeling the stifling pressures of losing games...

January 14, 2004, Wednesday

It is not easy guiding your team from under the guillotine, but Don Chaney will try Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. On Friday, the day after he endured ''Fire Chaney'' chants during an embarrassing blowout loss to Houston at home, he...

January 10, 2004, Saturday

Knicks Coach Don Chaney had a conversation with Antonio McDyess to lift his spirits yesterday morning. His words had resonance. ''It was long enough to come out with both of our heads in the right direction,'' Chaney said. ''He doesn't want to...

January 5, 2004, Monday

As the lights dimmed and the introductions began, Knicks Coach Don Chaney was booed by the Madison Square Garden crowd last night. When the lights came up, Isiah Thomas was standing in the tunnel, just over Chaney's shoulder. For Chaney, it must have...

December 24, 2003, Wednesday

On Sunday night, Don Chaney finally had the Knicks' roster in place the way it was imagined on paper. But the result, even in victory, was not quite what had been envisioned. Allan Houston had 39 points, converting 12 of 19 shots from the field,...